Lodi Never Ceases to Surprise

You can see it in their eyes. You can read it on their face. It’s that aha! moment when Lodi first-timers suddenly realize they have struck it rich. Where has this been all my life? Fact is, Lodi is the hottest and most interesting wine region in the state, and it’s worth exploring.

Lodi is the largest wine grape-growing appellation in California, with 750 growers tending some 100,000 acres of vines. The region sits smack dab in the middle of California’s Central Valley between the San Francisco Bay and the Sierra Nevada, responsible for 20 percent of the state’s total wine production. And that’s a whole lot of wine, when you consider California is the world’s fourth-leading wine producer.

So, why are wine enthusiasts surprised when they visit Lodi?

Well, for more than a century, Lodi suffered from an identity crisis. Despite its history as a major wine grape-growing region dating to the 1850s and its stature as the engine of California’s wine industry, Lodi’s grapes went to bulk wine producers and wound up on store shelves with “California” on the label.

But all of that started to change when many farmers, including family-run operations with roots as deep as six generations, expanded their grape-growing business by starting their own labels, crafting wines with their own grapes. That seismic shift and the concerted marketing push from the grower-led Lodi Winegrape Commission, formed in 1991, shined a bright light on the region.

Since the late 1990s, Lodi has exploded from a handful of tasting rooms to close to 75 today. Not only have farmers vertically integrated their businesses, but a new wave of winemakers has staked claims in Lodi, bringing fresh perspectives, ideas, techniques and energy to the landscape.

Lodi has variety. Some 85 wine grape varieties are in commercial production, basking in the appellation’s Mediterranean climate marked by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Lodi’s soils range from the fine, sandy loam in the Mokelumne River micro-AVA. or American Viticultural Area, home to Lodi’s cherished head-pruned, old- and ancient-vine plantings, to more cobbly soils to the north and east side of the appellation.

Lodi is forward thinking. In 1991, Lodi’s growers and renowned scientists started a grassroots program that would become the Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing, a set of guidelines growers must follow to ensure their products are grown in a sustainable manner. Lodi Rules growers farm in a way that meets today’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to create their own livelihoods.

Lodi Rules is the first third-party accredited and audited sustainable wine growing program in the country. More than 28,000 acres in Lodi, more than 25,000 acres in other California regions, and more than 665 acres in Israel are Lodi Rules certified. More than 150 wineries bear the Lodi Rules label.

Lodi is authentic. A visit to a tasting room could put you face to face with the grower, winemaker or owner; often, it’s the same person. Whether you meet the proprietor or a friendly member of the staff, Lodi’s authenticity is evident in its warm welcome and smiles that make you feel at home.

Lodi is the place to try new things. No appellation is as diverse as Lodi, home not only to flagship variety zinfandel, but Spanish varieties such as albariño and tempranillo; Italian varieties such as sangiovese; and Bordeaux varieties such as cabernet sauvignon and merlot.

Put it all together–the history, the talent, the innovation–and it’s no wonder Wine Enthusiast named little old Lodi the 2015 Wine Region of the Year.

Lodi wines regularly receive Best of Class awards at prestigious competitions worldwide and the appellation’s talent also has been recognized. For instance, in 2018, Adam Mettler, Mettler Family Vineyards and Michael David Winery, was named Wine Enthusiast’s Winemaker of the Year. This year, Sue Tipton, owner and winemaker at Acquiesce Winery, was named Best Woman Winemaker in the International Women’s Wine Competition. And in 2020, Michael David Winery was named Wine Enthusiast’s American Winery of the Year. That’s just scratching the surface of accolades Lodi has received and richly deserved.

Lodi is a special place with special people. See for yourself. And if you already know, it’s time to visit again and see what’s new.

Written by: Bob Highfill